Existing comment:
The Cascade
One popular element of the park's original design was a water feature known as the cascade. Cascading fountains were important features in formal European gardens. Their terraced pools and waterfalls animated the landscape with the sounds and movement of water. Unfortunately, the cascade was removed in the 1969-71 park renovation. No remnants or original technical drawings of the fountain remain.
WPA records tell us that the Singing Tower, built in 1928 at Historic Bok Sanctuary in central Florida, was an inspiration for Vulcan Park. Both sites feature a stone tower and a long axial water feature in a park setting. Courtesy of Bok Sanctuary
The cascade's strong lines led the eye up the hillside to the tower and statue - the central focal point of the park. Today, the terracing of the slope and the stairs leading up the hill have been returned.
Many people who visited Vulcan Park prior to the 1969-71 renovation fondly remember the cascade – and the fish that swam in the pools. B-25 Rear View of Vulcan showing waterfalls and Pools, Birmingham, Ala. |